Reverend Reservations
by Sullys Sidekick
Summary: May 2010 short story challenge. *AR* The idea is to combine certain photos in a logical way. 1- close up of Sully looking a bit disgruntled.  2- Michaela and Hank, heads close together. His clothing looks black with a white line at his collar.


**REVEREND RESERVATIONS**

By; Tess

May 2010 DQ Challenge

Billowing plumes of white steam marked the train's arrival. Michaela, Sully, Jake, and Loren waited to greet the new temporary reverend. Reverend Timothy Johnson left yesterday on a long one-month vacation to visit with his relatives and baptize his youngest sister's newest baby.

Much to Jake and Loren's delight, many passengers stepped off the train meaning more business for them. Surprising everyone, Hank too stepped off the train.

"That's impossible," Jake exclaimed. "He was just tending bar last night." He hollered louder, "Hey Hank! What kind of joke are you playing?"

Loren laughed and Hank completely ignored them both. Michaela observed their tall, and now seemingly mannered, saloon owner. She leaned closer to her husband. "Sully, I don't think that's Hank."

"Sure it is. He and Jake are just playing jokes on each other again.

"But look at the way he's dressed."

Sully shrugged. "Guess he went all out this time. Probably rode his horse to Denver last night just to pull it off. You know how these two can take jokes to extremes."

Jake walked up to the barkeep and slapped him on the shoulder, laughing so hard he could hardly talk. "So…. w-who lent… you…. these fancy duds?"

"Duds?"

"Black outfit, little white collar… you look almost believable_… Reverend_."

Loren burst out laughing and Jake doubled over, his face red as a tomato.

"This is Colorado Springs, isn't it?" The tall man in black asked then scanned his captive audience. A few nodding heads answered his question. "Hello everyone. Can someone please direct me to the church?"

Tears now fell from Jake's eyes - his laugher uncontainable.

Michaela glanced at her husband again. "Sully… I really don't think he's joking." Her husband followed her as she approached Hank. "Hank, are you alright?"

"Why does everyone keep calling me Hank? Who's Hank?"

"Oh THIS is your best one yet, Hank," Jake chuckled loudly. "Oops… I mean REVEREND."

By this time, Sully had enough. "Knock it off, Hank. You ain't foolin' anyone."

"Sir, I don't know what you're talking about. The name is Wallace. Reverend Harmon Wallace from Philadelphia."

"Philadelphia?" Jake piped up. "Aw Hank – we already know you're from Philadelphia. You could've done better than that."

The tall man looked at the mayor as if he were crazy.

"Reverend?" Michaela began. "May I examine your hands please?"

He extended his hands toward her. "Can I ask what for?"

She studied his hands as she spoke. "I'm the town's doctor, and Hank once came to me with a bad cut on his hand from a bar fight, but he actually had Jake stitch him up instead."

"Hey – I remember that," Jake confirmed.

Michaela breathed deeply. "You Reverend Wallace, have no scars on your hands. We sincerely apologize for mistaking you for someone else. Welcome to Colorado Springs."

Loren, who'd been snickering at the entertaining joke, decided to take a closer look. Jake joined him.

The Hank-resembling reverend innocently displayed his hands. "I must look an awful lot like this Hank."

"Unbelievable," Loren proclaimed.

Jake shook his head. "Reverend, I apologize for the improper greeting." He extended his hand, "Name's Jake Slicker. I'm the town mayor."

Reverend Wallace accepted his handshake. "No problem, but I do admit that it's the first one like that I've ever received."

Everyone laughed, still not believing the odds of a Hank look-alike coming to preach at their church.

All other introductions were made.

"You must introduce me to this Hank sometime, the temporary reverend requested.

Jake grinned. "We'll take you to him now – he runs the saloon."

Reverend Wallace shook his head. "Saloon? Guess I'll wait and meet him with the rest of the congregation this Sunday."

Loren ran to the saloon to update the rangy barkeep on his look-alike while Jake, Sully, and Michaela helped the new visitor with his bags and escorted him to the church. They all knew Hank would most likely be a no-show this Sunday – as always.

As the weeks passed, Hank refused to believe the wild story circulating the town. A preacher that looked exactly like him – ridiculous! Such a fool idea just to get him into church. Not in this lifetime. Still, curiosity got the best of him so the morning of the temporary reverend's departure, Hank found himself waiting at the train station. He wanted to stop these ludicrous rumors. He had a reputation to protect. Spotting Jake, he approached his longtime friend and nudged him, "So where's this Rev.?"

"Oh – so you ARE curious."

"Curious? That what you think?" Hank snorted. "I just want to prove you all wrong."

That was the last counter-claim he made as the visiting reverend stepped around the train's car into view. Hanks' jaw dropped.

It was Jake's turn to nudge his friend. "Told ya so."

Michaela, Sully, and Loren joined them to extend their good-byes.

Reverend Harmon Wallace and Hank Larson couldn't take their eyes off each other. The resemblance was amazing, even creepy.

"You must be Hank."

The two shook hands.

"I s-still don't believe it," the barkeep stuttered.

"Well believe it," Michaela piped up. "It is believed that everyone has someone somewhere else in the world that looks almost exactly like them."

The Reverend separated his hand from Hank's who forgot to stop shaking it. "I hear that you grew up in Philadelphia."

Hank nodded. "That's right. Name's Larson… and you are…?"

"Wallace. Harmon Wallace."

"Hank and Harmon," Jake exclaimed. "You two could be brothers!"

"I ain't got no brothers, Jake," Hank bit out. "How 'bout you Rev.?"

"I don't know."

All eyes widened with curiosity so he explained.

"I was raised in an orphanage after my mother, Ellen Wallace, passed away. When I was a teenager, I was told that she wasn't my real mother. That she was not capable of actually having children. It was rumored that I had been stolen right after my birth."

Hank nearly fell over. "Twins are said to run in my family. I had sisters who were twins."

The train whistle blew indicating it would leave in a moment. Reverend Wallace jumped up onto the train's steps and waved to everyone. "Thank you all for making me feel so welcome." He eyed his new very possible relative, "Hank, if we really are related, I'll expect to see you in church next time I visit."

"Wish all you want, Rev.," Hank called back. "You're asking for a miracle."

"No Hank… I think we just witnessed one."


End file.
